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Module 8 · Writing Mastery & Reading Fluency · Lesson 29

Writing the Report

FCE Writing Part 2 — the report. Learn to organise with headings, keep a neutral/formal register throughout, and end with clear, justified recommendations for a named reader.

CEFR B2+60 minWriting — ReportCore

Get talking · Section 1

5 min

discussion
Report vs essay

A report and an essay both discuss a topic. Name TWO structural differences (think: headings, personal opinion, reader).

reflection
Who reads a report?

Reports at work are written for a specific reader (a manager, a client). Why does that change the LANGUAGE you use compared to a personal blog post?

activity
Recommend it!

In one sentence, recommend a place to eat near your home to 'the school social committee'. Use 'I would recommend…' or 'It is recommended that…'.

Grammar focus · Section 2

8–10 min

Report language: headings, neutral register, recommendations

Open Grammar Reference
Grammar focus

A report is organised under headings, written in a neutral/formal register, and ends with clear recommendations. No personal storytelling — just organised findings for a named reader.

Quick Rule

When to Use

  • FCE Writing Part 2, when the task says 'Write a report'.

Common Mistake

Writing the report as flowing prose with no headings — this is penalised under Organisation even if the content is good.

Memory Tip

Report = REAL data, ORGANISED under headings, ENDING in advice.

Natural English

It was found that…A number of respondents felt that…Overall, the results suggest…It is recommended that…

Examples

  • → Heading style: 'Introduction' / 'Facilities' / 'Staff feedback' / 'Recommendations' — one heading per bullet point in the task, plus an intro and a closing section.

  • → Neutral register: NOT 'I loved the canteen food' → INSTEAD 'The canteen food was generally well received by students.'

  • → Impersonal structure: 'It was noted that…', 'A number of students commented that…', 'Overall, the facilities appear adequate.'

  • → Recommendation growing from a finding: Finding — 'Wi-Fi access was the most common complaint.' → Recommendation — 'It is recommended that the Wi-Fi network be upgraded as a priority.'

  • → Avoid essay-style opinion openers ('In my opinion…', 'I strongly believe…') — reports report, they don't argue from the first person.

Question 1.A report should be organised using…

Question 2.Which register is correct for a report?

Question 3.Which sentence uses correct report register?

Question 4.A good recommendation should…

Question 5.Which is an impersonal report structure?

Answer all items, then check.

Quick check 1.How many headings should roughly match?

Quick check 2.Should a report use first-person opinion like an essay?

Quick check 3.A recommendation with no connection to the findings is a sign of…

Answer all items, then check.

Vocabulary · Section 3

5–7 min

Words & phrases to own

Open Vocabulary Bank
1

to outline

to give the main points of something — common in report introductions.

"This report outlines the results of a recent survey."

Use it now

Write one sentence starting 'This report outlines…'

2

findings

the results or facts discovered, especially from a survey or investigation.

"The findings suggest that most staff prefer flexible hours."

Use it now

Use 'findings' in a sentence about your own class or workplace.

3

to recommend

to suggest that something is a good idea, done for a reason.

"It is recommended that the library extend its opening hours."

Use it now

Recommend a change to your school/office in one formal sentence.

4

respondent

a person who answers a survey or questionnaire.

"Most respondents rated the canteen as satisfactory."

Use it now

Write a sentence using 'respondents' about an imaginary survey.

5

overall

considering everything together — a common report linker for summarising.

"Overall, the feedback was positive."

Use it now

Start a sentence with 'Overall,' about your week.

6

a number of

several / some — a neutral quantifier used instead of vague words like 'a lot'.

"A number of students mentioned the Wi-Fi as a concern."

Use it now

Use 'a number of' to describe something at your school/work.

7

to note / it was noted that

to record or mention formally.

"It was noted that attendance had improved."

Use it now

Write a sentence with 'It was noted that…'

8

satisfactory

acceptable, good enough — a neutral evaluative adjective for reports.

"The facilities were rated as satisfactory by most respondents."

Use it now

Describe something as 'satisfactory' in one sentence.

9

priority

something that should be dealt with first because it is important.

"Upgrading the Wi-Fi should be treated as a priority."

Use it now

Name one 'priority' for your school/workplace.

10

to address (an issue)

to deal with or try to solve a problem.

"Management should address the parking issue as soon as possible."

Use it now

Write a sentence about an issue that needs to be 'addressed'.

Activate · use it within minutes

Activate · Complete the sentence
Report-language stems

Complete each stem about your own school/workplace.

  • This report outlines…

  • A number of respondents felt that…

  • Overall, the findings suggest…

  • It is recommended that…

Tick each word as you use it

Activate · Speak for 30 seconds
60-second report voice

Say two sentences about your class in report register (no 'I think').

  • Describe one finding about your class in neutral register.

  • Give one recommendation that follows from it.

Matching
Match each report phrase with its function.

Tap an item on the left, then tap its match on the right.

Answer all items, then check.

Pronunciation · Section 4

3–4 min

Flat, even stress for neutral register — no emotional emphasis

Say it aloud

  • • Read aloud flatly: 'It was found that most students were satisfied with the canteen.' No emotional stress on any single word.
  • • Contrast: read the same idea with EXCITED stress ('I LOVED the canteen!') — hear how wrong it sounds for a report.
  • • Practise the recommendation cadence: 'It is / recommended / that the library / extend its / opening hours.' Even, measured pace.
  • • Read 'Overall,' with a slight pause after it — it signals a summary is coming.
  • • Avoid contractions when reading aloud — say 'it is' not 'it's', 'was not' not 'wasn't' — this trains the formal register into your ear.

Reading · Section 5

8–10 min

Why the report is the most 'formulaic' — and most learnable — FCE writing task

Read the passageTap to open

Of all the tasks on the Cambridge B2 First Writing paper, the report is the most formulaic, which makes it one of the easiest to master with focused practice. Unlike the essay, which rewards flexible argument, or the review, which rewards personality, the report rewards a predictable STRUCTURE and a consistent REGISTER. Candidates who learn the formula can produce a strong report on almost any topic within the exam's fifteen-or-so minutes.

The structure begins with the task itself. FCE report prompts always give two or three bullet points — for example, 'describe the current facilities', 'give students' opinions', 'suggest improvements'. The single biggest organisational win is to turn each bullet point into its own heading. Candidates who write flowing, heading-free prose are marked down for Organisation even when their English is excellent, because the report format explicitly rewards visible structure.

The second pillar is register. A report is not a personal opinion piece; it summarises information for a specific reader, usually a manager, a college principal or a client. This means avoiding first-person opinion phrases like 'I think' or 'I feel', and avoiding emotional language like 'amazing' or 'terrible'. Instead, strong candidates use IMPERSONAL REPORTING STRUCTURES: 'it was found that…', 'a number of respondents felt that…', 'overall, the feedback suggests…'. These phrases distance the writer from the opinion and make it sound like the result of genuine research, even when the 'research' is imagined for the exam task.

The third pillar, and the one examiners specifically look for, is the RECOMMENDATIONS section. A weak report simply restates the findings and stops. A strong report closes with two or three clearly justified recommendations — each one growing logically out of a finding mentioned earlier. If the findings section says 'Wi-Fi access was the most common complaint,' the recommendations section should say something like 'it is recommended that the Wi-Fi network be upgraded as a priority' — not a recommendation about something never mentioned in the findings.

Putting the three pillars together — headings, neutral register, justified recommendations — produces a report that examiners can mark quickly and confidently, because every element does exactly the job the genre expects. This predictability is exactly why the report, once learned, becomes one of the highest-scoring, lowest-risk options on the Writing paper.

Reading & Use of EnglishPart 5 · Multiple choice1 mark per question

For questions 1–5, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.

  1. 1Why does the writer call the report 'formulaic'?

  2. 2What is the 'single biggest organisational win'?

  3. 3What should candidates avoid in register?

  4. 4What makes a recommendations section 'strong'?

  5. 5According to the writer, once learned, the report becomes…

    6. Answer all items, then check.
Reading & Use of EnglishPart 6 · Gapped text2 marks per question

Sentences have been removed from the text. Choose from the sentences A–E the one which fits each gap (1–4). There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use.

Exam conditions: keep “Read the passage” closed while you do this task.

Of all the tasks on the Cambridge B2 First Writing paper, the report is the most formulaic, which makes it one of the easiest to master with focused practice. Candidates who learn the formula can produce a strong report on almost any topic within the exam's fifteen-or-so minutes. The structure begins with the task itself. FCE report prompts always give two or three bullet points — for example, 'describe the current facilities', 'give students' opinions', 'suggest improvements'. Candidates who write flowing, heading-free prose are marked down for Organisation even when their English is excellent, because the report format explicitly rewards visible structure. The second pillar is register. A report is not a personal opinion piece; it summarises information for a specific reader, usually a manager, a college principal or a client. This means avoiding first-person opinion phrases like 'I think' or 'I feel', and avoiding emotional language like 'amazing' or 'terrible'. These phrases distance the writer from the opinion and make it sound like the result of genuine research, even when the 'research' is imagined for the exam task. The third pillar, and the one examiners specifically look for, is the RECOMMENDATIONS section. A strong report closes with two or three clearly justified recommendations — each one growing logically out of a finding mentioned earlier. If the findings section says 'Wi-Fi access was the most common complaint,' the recommendations section should say something like 'it is recommended that the Wi-Fi network be upgraded as a priority' — not a recommendation about something never mentioned in the findings. Putting the three pillars together — headings, neutral register, justified recommendations — produces a report that examiners can mark quickly and confidently, because every element does exactly the job the genre expects. This predictability is exactly why the report, once learned, becomes one of the highest-scoring, lowest-risk options on the Writing paper.
Answer all items, then check.

Listening · Section 6

8–10 min

Two colleagues plan a workplace report together

Listening audio

Tap play to listen. Drag the timeline to jump anywhere.

Show transcript

Grace:Right, we need to write this report on the office kitchen for Monday. Where do we start?

Daniel:Headings first, always. The task asks for current facilities, staff opinions, and suggestions — so that's three headings, plus an intro and recommendations.

Grace:Good. For the intro, something like 'This report outlines the findings of a survey into staff satisfaction with the office kitchen.'

Daniel:Perfect — neutral, no 'I think'. Now for facilities: what did people actually say?

Grace:Mostly that the fridge is too small and there's never enough coffee. But the microwave and seating got positive comments.

Daniel:Let's write: 'While the seating area was well received, a number of staff felt that the fridge was inadequate for current needs.'

Grace:Nice — 'a number of staff felt' sounds much more report-like than 'everyone hates the fridge'.

Daniel:Exactly. Now opinions — anything strong come up in the survey?

Grace:Coffee was the biggest complaint by far. Almost every respondent mentioned it.

Daniel:So: 'Coffee supplies emerged as the most frequently mentioned issue, with the majority of respondents dissatisfied with current provision.'

Grace:Good — now recommendations have to follow from that, right? Not just anything.

Daniel:Right. So: 'It is recommended that a larger fridge be installed and that coffee supplies be reviewed as a priority.'

Grace:That links straight back to the two problems we mentioned. I like it.

Daniel:One more small thing — should we recommend the seating too, even though it was positive?

Grace:No — we don't need a recommendation for something that's already working well. Recommendations should target problems, not praise.

Daniel:Good call. Let's write it up properly now — headings, neutral tone, recommendations tied to findings. Should take fifteen minutes.

Question 1.What does Daniel suggest doing FIRST?

Question 2.Why does Daniel prefer 'a number of staff felt' over 'everyone hates the fridge'?

Question 3.What was the biggest complaint in the survey?

Question 4.Why don't they write a recommendation about the seating?

Answer all items, then check.

Question 1.Which phrase does Daniel use to introduce the final recommendation?

Answer all items, then check.

Exam skills · Section 7

5 min

Writing Part 2 — the Report

Open Exam Strategy Centre

📝 The Report

Headings + neutral register + justified recommendations.

  • Turn each bullet point in the task into a heading
  • Write an Introduction and a Recommendations heading too
  • Use impersonal structures, never 'I think'
  • Every recommendation must follow from a finding

Open the FCE Exam Practice block below for a full report task.

Quick Tip

Plan headings BEFORE writing a single sentence — 60 seconds of planning saves 5 minutes of rewriting.

Exam Hack

Keep a personal bank of 6 neutral report phrases ('it was found that…', 'a number of respondents…') and reuse them in every report task.

Common Mistake

Don't write recommendations that appear out of nowhere — examiners check that each one is justified by a finding above it.

Your task

Plan and write a full report using the FCE Exam Practice task below. Time yourself: 3 minutes planning, 15 minutes writing.

Example

Finding: 'A number of students felt the library closed too early.' → Recommendation: 'It is recommended that the library's opening hours be extended, particularly during exam periods.'

Open Exam Strategy Centre

Practice · Section 8

8–10 min

Fill in the blank

Word bank — no clues, retrieve it

headingsjustifiedisrespondentsneutral / formalOverall

Question 1.A report should be organised using ___.

Question 2.'___ , the feedback was largely positive.' (summarising linker)

Question 3.A number of ___ felt that the Wi-Fi was too slow.

Question 4.It ___ recommended that the fridge be replaced.

Question 5.A recommendation must be ___ by a finding mentioned earlier.

Question 6.The register of a report should be ___.

Answer all items, then check.
Sentence transformation
Type a short answer (1–3 words)

Q1.Two-word phrase meaning 'several/some' used neutrally in reports:

Q2.Formal way to say 'people who answered the survey' (one word):

Q3.One-word linker to open a summary before recommendations:

Answer all items, then check.

Writing · Section 9

5 min

Put it in writing

Your task

Write a short report (140–190 words) for your college principal about the college canteen. Include: current facilities, student opinions, and two recommendations.

Show model answer

Introduction This report outlines the findings of a recent survey into student satisfaction with the college canteen. Current facilities The canteen offers a reasonable range of hot and cold food, and seating is generally adequate. However, a number of students noted that queues at lunchtime are often extremely long. Student opinions Overall, opinions on food quality were positive, with most respondents rating it as satisfactory or better. The main area of dissatisfaction was waiting times, which was mentioned by almost every respondent. Recommendations It is recommended that an additional till be opened during peak lunchtime hours to reduce queuing. It is also suggested that the college consider extending the lunch period slightly to relieve pressure on the canteen.

Speaking · Section 10

10–15 min

Make it a real conversation

Open Useful Expressions

Roleplay

1:1 online task. Teacher gives a topic ('the school library', 'the office kitchen'). Student must speak the report ALOUD, section by section, using neutral register and stopping after each heading for teacher feedback.

Useful phrases

  • • This report outlines…
  • • A number of respondents felt that…
  • • Overall, the feedback suggests…
  • • It is recommended that…
  • • This recommendation follows from the finding that…
Dialogue completion
Complete the missing report-register lines.
  • TeacherHow would you open the introduction of a report about the school gym?
  • Student_______________
  • TeacherGood. Now report a finding that lots of students complained about equipment.
  • Student_______________
  • TeacherNow give a recommendation that follows from that.
  • Student_______________
Answer all items, then check.

Teacher notes

Optional · Teacher-led

Teacher Activities

Two drills that build the report muscle memory. Both work 1:1 online. ~14 min total

FCE Exam Practice · Section 11

20–30 min

Real FCE tasks

Cambridge B2 First · Writing · Part 2 · Report. Full task, model answer, success criteria and examiner commentary.

Cambridge B2 First · Writing
Report on the school library for the college principal
Report
Part 2 — choose one
140–190 words
Register: Formal

Exam task

You have seen this notice on your college's noticeboard: Reports wanted! The college is reviewing the library and would like feedback from students. Write a report describing the library's current facilities, students' opinions, and your recommendations for improvement. Write your report.

  • Current facilities
  • Students' opinions
  • Recommendations for improvement
Planning template
  1. Introduction — state purpose of the report in one sentence
  2. Heading: Current facilities — 2–3 neutral sentences
  3. Heading: Students' opinions — 2–3 neutral sentences, mention both positives and negatives
  4. Heading: Recommendations — 2 recommendations, each tied to a finding above
Success criteria (Cambridge band descriptors)
  • Content: All three bullet points covered with relevant, realistic detail.
  • Communicative achievement: Register is consistently neutral/formal; report conventions (headings) used throughout.
  • Organisation: Clear headings; logical order; recommendations connect explicitly to findings.
  • Language: Range of report-specific structures (it was found that…, a number of…, it is recommended that…) used accurately.

0 words · saved automatically

Show upper-band model answer

Introduction This report outlines the findings of a survey into student opinions of the college library, along with recommendations for improvement. Current facilities The library currently offers a good range of books and quiet study spaces. However, computer access is limited, with only six computers available for over 500 students. Students' opinions Overall, students were positive about the atmosphere and the helpfulness of staff. Nevertheless, a number of respondents felt that opening hours were too short, particularly during exam periods, and that the lack of computers caused long waiting times. Recommendations It is recommended that the library's opening hours be extended during exam periods. It is also suggested that additional computers be purchased to reduce waiting times, as this was the most frequently mentioned concern.

Examiner commentary

Top-band because: headings match the bullet points exactly; register is consistently impersonal ('a number of respondents felt', 'it is recommended that'); both recommendations grow directly from findings stated above (short hours → extended hours; too few computers → more computers). No first-person opinion appears anywhere.

Homework · Section 12

Take-home

Take it home

writing
Task 1· 140–190 words

Write a full report

Write a 140–190 word report about your neighbourhood's public transport for the local council.

Include headingsIntroduction, Current situation, Residents' opinions, Recommendations. Use at least three neutral report phrases from this lesson.

Finish the homework, then check.
vocab
Task 2

Neutral register swap

Rewrite 5 informal sentences in neutral report register.

For each sentence, remove 'I think/I love/everyone hates' and replace with an impersonal structure.

  1. I think the library is great. →
  2. Everyone hates the parking situation. →
  3. Honestly, the food was amazing. →
  4. I reckon they should fix the Wi-Fi. →
  5. The staff were kind of rude, not gonna lie. →
Finish the homework, then check.
reading
Task 3

Find a real report

Find any short online report/survey summary in English and identify its headings and recommendations.

Search 'student satisfaction survey report' or similar. Note the headings used and how the recommendations connect to findings.

Questions

  1. What headings does it use?
  2. How does each recommendation connect to a finding?

Recap · Section 13

2–3 min

What you've learned

  • The FCE report uses headings — usually one per bullet point in the task, plus Introduction and Recommendations.
  • Register must be neutral/formal and impersonal — no 'I think', no emotional language.
  • Use structures like 'it was found that…', 'a number of respondents felt that…', 'overall,…'.
  • Recommendations must follow logically and explicitly from findings already presented.
  • The report is one of the most learnable, highest-scoring FCE Writing tasks once the formula is practised.

Lesson progress

This lesson completes automatically once you finish every activity, or when you continue to the next lesson.

Lesson 28 · Modals of SpeculationLesson 30 · Advanced Essay